Chapter 14 Food and Beverage Service Convention Management

Competencies for Food and Beverage Service 1. Identify different types of food service and servicerelated issues related to food functions. 2. Identify control issues related to food functions. 3. Describe service and control issues related to beverage functions. 4. Describe post-function activities for both food and beverage functions, and compare large properties with small ones in terms of in-house coordination. © 2011, Educational Institute 1

A Vital Function • Food functions are an integral part of most meetings • Association and corporate meeting planners rate the quality of food service as “very important” in their selection of meeting facilities • Food and beverage functions are second only to guestrooms in generating revenue at most convention hotels Courtesy of Orient-Express Hotels © 2011, Educational Institute 2

Hyatt’s Personal Preference Menus • Meeting planner selects one appetizer and one salad in advance to be served to each attendee • Meeting planner also chooses three entrées from a selection of six • At the tables, attendees may pick from these three entrées or a vegetarian option • A dessert sampler is also included © 2011, Educational Institute 3

Trends in Banquet Food and Beverage • Meeting planners are more food savvy • Hotels seek to create a restaurant-quality dining experience at banquets • Customized menus, choice of entrée, action and testing stations, and upscale presentation are popular • Meeting facilities are offering fresh, healthy, locally grown, organic, and nutritional foods to connect with the trend toward green menus Courtesy of Fairmont Hotels © 2011, Educational Institute 4

Profitability of Banquets • Food and beverage is second only to guestrooms in the amount of revenue it generates • The profit margin on banquet sales is 35– 40 percent • Banquet sales volume often exceeds restaurant volume by two to one • Banquets allow for flexible pricing, while both food and labor costs may be lower © 2011, Educational Institute Courtesy of Inter. Continental Hotels 5

Planning Food Functions Types of Food Functions • Breakfasts • Luncheons • Dinners with entertainment and/or dancing • Coffee breaks • Receptions • Hospitality setups in suites, meeting rooms, or exhibit halls © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) Courtesy of Raffles Hotel Singapore 6

Planning Food Functions (continued) Tips • Use a function sheet for each event • Menu is focal point of theme party • Better to refuse a request than to fail Courtesy of Gaylord Palms Hotels © 2011, Educational Institute 7

Changing Tastes Healthier Foods • Low in calories, fat, and cholesterol • High in fiber and nutrition • Breakfast foods lighter/healthier • “Green” menus promote organic, locally grown choices • Refreshment breaks are becoming “energy” breaks Courtesy of Inter. Continental Hotels © 2011, Educational Institute 8

Managing Attendance at Food Functions • Firm menu prices are not quoted earlier than six months prior to event • Planner initially will estimate attendance at a food function • Early estimates of planners should be updated periodically • Guarantee needed 48 or 72 hours in advance for ordering purposes • Group generally guarantees to pay for a certain number regardless of attendance © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 10

Managing Attendance at Food Functions (continued) • Overset safety margin of 5 percent is common. For example, if guarantee calls for 200 attendees, hotel agrees to set for 5 percent over and sets tables and chairs for 210 • Require guarantees in writing • Attrition fees may be assessed if group fails to meet its commitment • Ticket exchange is often used for final banquet © 2011, Educational Institute 11

Types of Food Service Plate or American Service • Most common form of banquet service • Food prepared in kitchen and presented on guests’ plates Russian Service • Food prepared in kitchen • Served from platters onto guests’ plates © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) Courtesy of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts 13

Types of Food Service (continued) English/Family-Style Service • Food brought to the table on platters or in bowls Butler Service • Used at receptions French Service • Food prepared tableside on carts or a gueridon • Requires space between Courtesy of Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts tables for carts © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 14

Types of Food Service (continued) Preset Service • First course on tables when guests arrive Buffet service • Guests serve themselves from arrayed choices À la Carte Catering • Guests have choice of entrées © 2011, Educational Institute 15

Function Room Issues • Choose location based on type of function, location of other functions, traffic, kind of seating, and lighting • Ensure enough time for setup, breakdown, and cleaning • Ensure that noise will not disrupt functions © 2011, Educational Institute Courtesy of Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts 16

Control Procedures and Staffing Control Procedures • Meals: usually charge person • Hotels must establish a head count procedure to determine the actual number of meals served • Count coupons or tickets at door or table, or count dishes • Coffee breaks or hospitality suites: charge per cup or gallon of coffee, per piece or tray of Danish • Complimentary hors d’oeuvres allow higher meal and drink charges • Labor charges and setup costs added to small-function bills © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 17

Control Procedures and Staffing (continued) Staffing • One server per 20 guests • As little as one server per 10 if price and service warrant it • One captain for every 10 to 12 servers • One server per 16 guests with wine service • One server per 30 to 40 guests for buffets © 2011, Educational Institute 18

Two Ways of Handling Food and Beverage Service Uniserve • All arrangements for function space and F&B made through one service contact—the convention service manager. Duoserve • F&B responsibilities separated from scheduling of function space. Meeting planners must work with a banquet/catering department for their F&B requests, and with the convention services department for their function room needs. © 2011, Educational Institute 19

Beverage Service Setups and Pricing Methods Types of Beverage Service • Host bar/open bar • Cash bar/no-host bar • Coupons or tickets at no-host bar • Captain's bar Pricing Methods • By the person: flat rate for a specified time • By the bottle: includes opened bottles • By the drink: include labor charge and use standard drink sizes © 2011, Educational Institute 20

Hospitality Suites and Brands of Liquor Hospitality Suites • Used by exhibitors and for good will • Policy on liquor from outside (corkage) • Inform group of union regulations Brands of Liquor • House brands—standard • Call brands—by request only • Premium brands—most expensive liquors • Prices for house and call brands may be the same or different © 2011, Educational Institute 21

Beverage Control Systems Procedures • Maintain formal procedures • Stock 25 percent more than group’s estimated consumption and return excess to stockroom • Marrying beverage service stations—closing bars in staggered order, moving partials from one bar to another Host Bar Control • Easiest—no cash exchange • Opened bottles returned to stock or sold to group © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 22

Beverage Control Systems (continued) Cash Bar Control • Requires rigid controls • Use cashier, not bartender, for cash handling Coupon or Ticket Bar Control • Need for cashier depends on when tickets are sold Automated Bars • Prevent overpouring • Bartender still required for blended drinks • Most units take only 8 bottles • Lends a mechanical atmosphere to cocktail receptions © 2011, Educational Institute 23

Liquor Liability and Staffing Liquor Liability • Many states have dram shop laws • Must take responsible care in serving alcohol Staffing • One bartender for every 75 to 100 people • One bar back for every three bartenders • Open bar stations farthest Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Hotel from entrance first Geneva, Switzerland • Staff one waiter for every 50 people for food receptions © 2011, Educational Institute 24

Post-Function Actions • If billing is person, tally guests served and have planner acknowledge total • Tally unopened bottles and bottles to be returned for credit; have planner acknowledge totals • If billing is not through master account, bills should be paid when totals are certified © 2011, Educational Institute 25

Food and Beverage Service at Smaller Properties Role of Catering Manager • Can be responsible for sales as well as coordinating F&B in smaller properties • Small property’s catering manager usually does not have authority over rooms • Large property’s catering manager usually handles only F&B © 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 26

Food and Beverage Service at Smaller Properties (continued) Servicing and Selling • Smaller properties use uniserve • Catering manager may be in charge of function book at small property • The danger of double-booking Communication and Cooperation Needed • More so in small properties because departments are more autonomous • Small properties should still use specification sheets © 2011, Educational Institute 27